Happy New Year & Blogging Goals

I hope that you all have a happy and healthy 2014! It's crazy to think how quickly 2013 flew by. It was a year full of memorable moments, new adventures, and a few twists and turns, but I'd say the year as a whole great; and for that I'm truly blessed. This little blog of mine has brought many blessings too, which involves interacting and learning from all of you!

Speaking of this little blog.. I thought I'd take some time to reflect on what I'd like to accomplish in this new calendar year with my little corner of cyber space.

I assume, that fewer goals, with more attainable steps and *hopefully* I will be more successful in achieving my goals. {Not that I want to set the bar low by any means!}

1. My number one goals is to read and comment on more blogs. I often go through blog posts, find wonderful ideas, and fail to connect with others through commenting. I know I've built many friendships through blogging just via email. I need to be better at leaving feedback and striking up conversations... not just replying to comments left on my own blog.
• SPEAKING OF WHICH... please, please, PLEASE make sure that you are not a no-reply blogger. It makes life easier to answer questions and hold conversations if comments can be replied back to via email. I know personally, that I don't remember all of the comments I leave, so having the ability to have conversations via email really helps! If your not sure or want to be sure that you can reply via email, check out this tech tip from Jivey!  
2. Okay, I know that  blogging six times a month doesn't seem like a lot, and it probably isn't compared to many other people I know. However, this coming semester I need to build my masters portfolio. It will be submitted by my birthday this summer. Let's just say, I have a lot to do on that bad boy, state testing to get kiddos ready for, and well a life to live. I want to be sure to give my little blog some love along the way too!
3. This last goal is something I've struggled with. At times I feel like I just blog to say "buy my products" {which if you do, great! Not trying to discourage that.} I'm hoping to take more pictures, share more stories, along with a few posts here and there to purchase things. I guess, I really want my blog to become a resource for other teachers and I think to be that, sharing what's working (and not working) in the classroom should be highlighted in my posts more. 

There's a look at my blogging goals for 2014. Hopefully, I will have some success! Be sure to link up your blogging goals too. Thanks to Diane @ Fifth in the Middle for hosting this linky!

Along with the New Year.. I am going to be a contributor on a new blog! Be sure to check it out!! I'm pretty excited to be asked to be apart of this group!

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New Years Check In

I blogged about several goals I have during the resolution linky party. I told you as I was mulling over what I wanted to do that I wanted to try to have you all keep me accountable. So... I thought I'd attempt to do a monthly check-in to see what type of progress I'm making. Feel free to join in!

....Besides the lights are out in the Super Bowl, and I'm just not that into it this year...

Technology:

My professional goal with technology was to learn how to create my own products for my classroom and possibly post them to TPT. Honestly, I'd never thought that I would get the gumption to do it, especially in under a month from creating this resolution, but I did. There are so many wonderful tutorials on how to create printables: the Ladybug Teacher Files, tutorials pinned on Pinterest from a variety of sources, and good ol' Google/Youtube. All it took was an all day hunter adventure for my husband and too much time on my hands, and I learned some of the ends and outs. Within two weeks, I finally tweak, nudged, switched fonts to my liking and created my first product to sell on TPT. You can visit my store by clicking here {I'm having a 20% sale today and tomorrow}. It's so fun to have the students use {and enjoy} my materials! This could become addictive rather quickly.

My personal goal was to master my DSLR. Which, since I filled up all of the free space allotted on blog for snapshots of newlywed life and I'm still trying to pull files over to a new site, it's been neglected...

Organization:

At home and work my goal was to get things orderly. Things are better... but not "Pinterest" worthy. We will call this a work in progress.

Professional Goals:

My goals were to

1. Get more organized. --Work in progress...sorta.
2. To incorporate more technology. --I'm restructuring my math pullout class, more movement and smaller groupings. Which is working well, but I haven't included anymore technology...so I need to step this one up.
3. Learn how to incorporate more TEACCH methods in my classroom. As long as I'm still at this school, come next year, I will need to have TEACCH processes in place. I'm hoping to do some observations this spring. A work in progress. I've find many resources through Pinterest of course and I have a board full of ideas for next year. To see some of the ideas I've collected reguarding TEACCH, tasks, and ASD please click here.
4. Survive my first year. So far I'm still alive and kicking, I think I'm making good progress on this goal so far. :)

Downtime Goals:

1. Have more random and fun date nights with my hubby. ---Nothing too purposeful here yet. Though we have enjoyed attending a couple of KSU basketball games, and watching some bowl games with a couple of new friends.
2. Conquer a Pioneer Woman recipe and just cook at home more.---A work in progress, sort of. The fridge and especially freezer that desperately needed going through have been. We've been on a sandwich kick lately... but my cookbooks are still calling my name.
3.  Make my rental our home.---We had a few friends over recently and that evening was the first time our rental really seemed homey. Everything {including the hubby's hunting and tailgating gear} was put away and tidy. Which helped immensely. I'd still say a work in progress though, but I'm still holding out for some change in scenery this coming year.
4. Get crafty. --Minus a couple of TPT project not really much is going on in the crafting department. I need to step this one up too!

Fitness Goals:

1. Eat more meals at home.---We are doing slightly better. Not great. But, better.
2. Get back into shape...So far, I'm way too stagnet for this resolution to get anywhere, but round. {Which is a shape, just not the one I'm going for!}
3. Drink more water and less pop. I'm becoming better at doing this too. I'm more purposeful in my drink choices water and tea more often than soda. 

Well some change but mostly needing to get my rear in gear {both literally and figuratively} guess I have just under 11 months to get things going! :)

How are you doing with your New Year's resolutions?

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What a Year It's Been... and Fitness Resolution

This time last year I was: engaged, nervous/excited for student teaching, living with my college roommate, trying to get wedding plans around, enjoying a month long Christmas break. Fast forward a year  and I am now: married, half way through my first year of teaching, enjoying break (I only wish it was a month long.) Safe to say...what a year it has been. I am extremely blessed!

That's enough for looking back... it's time again to look forward! Today I'm linking up with Mrs. Wills Kindergarten for the final resolution installment: fitness.

Whew. I'd love to say that I am an exercise fanatic {I'm not.} I'd love to say that I eat as well as I should {I don'.} I'd love to say that I'm satisfied with my physical condition {ya, that's a no too.}

So here we go... hold me accountable people, this is the one resolution area that I probably will have the most trouble with. {If God only made leafy greens taste like chocolate, this wouldn't be so hard!}

1. Eat more meals at home. This is a baby step. I want to eat healthier, but cutting down the trips downtown to eat is the place to start. Working and graduate classes just zap my desire to stay on my feet and put in the time for a home cooked meal. 
2. Get back into shape... I haven't gained a whole lot since the wedding, but I haven't helped myself either. Last year I was going to attempt Julianne Michael's 30 Day shred, it lasted the first few days of the new year until student teaching started, then I stopped. This year, I will make it through 30 days and then some! I want to feel good in a swimming suit this summer, that hasn't happened since high school.
3. Drink more water and less pop. I'm good during the day to drink water, but once I'm home that goes out the window. 

So there we go... a look back at a wonderful year, planning, reflecting and preparations for the upcoming year. What a fun linky party to participate in. Here is to 2013 and accomplishing most if not all of your goals!

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Downtime? {What's That?} Resolution

I'm linking up for another day of resolutions and giveaways I hope everyone is enjoy all of this end of the year fun! Today I'm linking up with Step into Second Grade to talk about some downtime resolutions.

{But seriously.... downtime... "ain't nobody got time for that".. Can finding downtime be a viable resolution?}

For when I do have down time here are a few of my resolutions....

1. Have more random and fun date nights with my hubby. Our first 6 months were definitely full of wedded bliss, and I want to continue the fun. I have a pinboard full of "Fun Ideas" full of inexpensive and unique ways to spend time with each other. I think this new year will be a great time to try a few out.
2. Conquer a Pioneer Woman recipe and just cook at home more. I have one of Ree Drummond's cookbooks. I think I've read it twice. I love the humor and the stories mixed into the recipes. Seriously, read through one of her cookbooks, you'll feel like her kitchen just talking to her {minus, what I'm sure would be amazing smells of whatever would be cooking.} I have a long list of recipes of hers that I want to try, I just haven't yet....but I will soon. Hopefully I can get back into the groove of cooking after a long day at school.
3.  Make my rental our home. The hubby and I really, really, really want a place to call our own out in the country. Unfortunately we cannot find anything that is either worth fixing up, or that's anywhere near our price point. Until we can, I need to embrace our rental and make it ours. It still looks like a college place at the moment. 
4. Get crafty. I have a ton of pins (seriously, check it out) and I need to do more than stockpile ideas, I need to try some more out! My sewing machine has been neglected since high school and there is a cute little quilt shop downtown that is just begging for me to drop in.

Hopefully I can find make the time to accomplish not only these goals but some other fun things too. What goals do you have for your spare time? Be sure to link up and share!

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Resolutions: Professional Growth

I'm linking up once again to share this years resolutions.. today's topic: professional growth.

I've been a full-fledged teacher for all of five months, and boy, there has been a huge learning curve. I finally feel like I'm not constantly being overwhelmed, it just comes in short bursts from time to time {for which I am truly grateful, and I'm sure, my wonderful and understanding hubby is too!}

As far professional goals... hmm there are a few.

1. Get more organized. My world is full of paper-- whether it be IEPs or trying to get ahead on lesson plans (keyword trying) there is a lot of paper in my day-to-day life, I need to overhaul my current system of organization. To learn other organizing goals check out this post.
2. To incorporate more technology. My school is 1-1 iPad, but I don't utilize this amazing tool nearly enough in the class I teach. An ongoing goal, but I'm making progress in incorporating the iPad more, see here.
3. Learn how to incorporate more TEAACH methods in my classroom. Looking towards the future I may need to make my classroom more structured and I like what I've seen from this method. 
4. Survive my first year. I think this is one goal I can accomplish, but I really want to end the year on a good note, see students succeed, live through state testing, and just really get into a groove.

What goals do you have professionally for 2013?  Be sure to link up with One Extra Degree

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Resolution: Organization

I'm linking up for day two of this fun resolution linky-party with 2nd Grade Shenanigans.

Today's topic: Organization. Something that I definitely need to have a resolution or two or twenty of...

I'd love to have a picture here of my lovely newlywed home....but alas, it is not as neat and tidy as I'd like it to be before I show the world my humble abode. As much as my husband and I enjoy cooking I'd really, really like to show you a picture such as this...

or this...

or a freezer like this...

This summer I was a lean, mean, cooking machine... Betty Crocker could have kissed my booty. I had good, home cooked meals on the table ready to go when my hubby came home for lunch and supper. Then, well, I started teaching, grad classes started, and hmmm... home cooked goodness hasn't happened as often as it should.

Personal Goal:

I've pinned freezer meals from time to time, and this girl loves her crockpot... this time around though, the meals as seen above, will be prepped and made, and tweaked (because neither my hubby nor I can just keep a recipe as is we are always tweaking things). My freezer may not look exactly like the one above, but I will have meals on hand ready to go for those days when I know I won't want to come home and cook, or for when I know guests are coming and I want a good meal that's ready to go. I also like the idea of baskets with the dry good ingredients of a few quick and easy family favorite meals in the pantry all ready to go. I need to do this as well! For some really great ideas for recipes to start if you would like to try this too, check out Six Sisters Stuff.

Professional Goal:

I've known that special education comes with paperwork and a lot of it, it just never hit me on how much until I was the one dealing with it all. I really need to get all of the paper in it's proper place. Filed in a more efficient manner than the organized chaos that it currently seems to be.

What are your organizational goals? How will you be making your life tidier, less messy, and more accessible? Be sure to link up or comment with your ideas!

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Technology Resolutions

Update: I'm adding this to to Sent From My iPad's "Must Have Apps" as a part of her technology linky. Scroll down I talk about several of my favs, and I thought I'd just double up this post rather than talk about the same ones multiple times.  I'm excited to see what others are sharing, if you have a favorite app or have another topic throughout the week you want to contribute to, link up!

I cannot believe how fast this year has truly flown! I'm linking up with Growing Kinders for a little fun and hopefully some accountability in keeping this years resolutions.

First.. a little look at how I  incorporate technology in my classroom.

I love that my school is 1-1 iPad, as such, most of what I will show you incorporates this technology.

My favorite app: Educreations

 Some of you may know that I serve at two different schools. I primarily work with 5th graders, as the 5th grade interrelated teacher, but I'm also a K-4 special education teacher at a rural school. Both places are great to work at, but it's hard to be in two places at once. Enter Educreations.

This app enables me to explain a concept, review a topic, or show the students something new. It is a screen and voice recorder. On my maiden voyage with it, I had my pullout math students into two groups: one working on decimal place value the other with money. {Both students were working with a topic that involved decimals on their own level of understanding... differentiation.} Student popped their ear buds in, and listened as I explained concepts, pausing to work out problems on their whiteboards {and so I could make sure they were following along as well as give me a chance to help students who were struggling.} To learn more about this click here or click the picture to set up an account and get started.

 In classrooms that I co-teach in, Strip Designer has been used to create comic strips for evaluation, such as creating a comic strip to show what happened during a novel that was read. It's a quick tool that students enjoy, and has many applications for writing.

 Story Kit is an app that lets you write your own book or story. It has features to add pictures, text, sound, or drawings via a paint function. When we used this, students were given a couple of minutes to draw a specific character from Because of Winn Dixie. Then, students were given a few minutes to type out character traits to surround their illustration. This process was continued for the rest of the main characters.

Tools4Students has lots of templates for various graphic organizers and maps. Students can choose one that suits them (or that they are directed to) and type the information in. Typed information is saved automatically. 

 Notability is a note taking app that allows you to "write", type, or record on the go. You can create folders and folders within folders to stay organized. For example, in our Written Language class we have the name of the class as the main folder, then housed under that places for vocabulary, notes, and a journal.

Fun & Education

When students have free time or the option to choose an educational app these two apps are picked often.

Stack the states asks all sorts of questions {capitals, landmarks, symbols} as you get the answers correct, the states begin to stack up. Once you pile the states to the given line you win. {There is a free version, but the questions are very limited. After a week on the free one your students will probably need the full version or they will have the same 10 things memorized very well.}

 Cash Cow is a fun, arcade like game. Students swipe coins with the goal to make a dollar. You can combine coins to make bigger denominations (i.e. pennies into nickels/dimes, nickels into dimes or quarters, etc.) There are several different mods, lots of color and sound. Just a fun app.


Now for the resolutions...

Professional: Learn how to create my own items to use in the classroom. I love blog stalking, TPT, and Pinterest for finding all sorts of neat stuff (and freebies) to use in my room, but I want to start giving back and making things that not only benefit me, but hopefully some of you as well. Who knows maybe someday I'll be brave and create my own things for TPT. That is yet to be seen.

Personal: Master my DSLR!! I love to captures moments. I even started a blog about our newlywed life, captured in pictures to share with friends and family, but... I still shoot mostly in auto. This year will be the year to learn to shoot in manual.

What are your techno inspired resolutions? Be sure to link up and share.. and if you have any super iPad apps that you love to use in your classroom please share!

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